James McArthur levels late to save Scotland’s blushes against Lithuania

James McArthur scored an 89th-minute equaliser for Scotland against Lithuania in their World Cup qualifier at Hampden Park.
Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters

This is ominously familiar for Scotland. The failure to defeat Lithuania at home conjured memories of disastrous qualifying campaigns from the recent past. More alarming than the result itself, perhaps, was the later assessment of Gordon Strachan.

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Scotland’s manager insisted his side – who equalised in the final minute against a team who had earlier scored their second goal in a dozen away games – were “unlucky.” Strachan added that the second half was “the best we have played for a long time.” He cited a potentially “good point.” Strachan was adamant Chris Martin, who laboured badly in attack, was “outstanding.” A football nation collectively shook its head.

The truth lay in a different postcode. Scotland were abject, to the point where they would have been two goals behind had Fiodor Cernych not fluffed his lines when clean through. This fact was not lost on the home support, who shifted from a state of shock as to how bad Scotland were in the first half to one of audible anger at full time. Only an 89th-minute goal retrieved a point.

Tuesday’s trip to Slovakia, which was significant enough in the first place, suddenly looks key not only to Scotland’s aspirations of finally reaching a tournament but Strachan’s own future. Public sentiment is clearly shifting against the manager.

Strachan had entered unusual territory by naming the same starting XI to the one for last month’s rout of Malta. This marked the first time since October 2011 that Scotland had fielded an identical side for back-to-back fixtures.

If there was a question mark surrounding this approach, it was naturally linked to the lack of pace and movement retained by Martin. Steven Fletcher, once favoured by Strachan when out of form at club level, is now left on the bench when scoring goals at Sheffield Wednesday. Martin’s statistics are poor in comparison.

Lithuania have been regular – and regularly generous – opposition for the Scots. Yet the visitors opened confidently here and were completely untroubled before Callum Paterson headed a Matt Ritchie free-kick narrowly wide after 13 minutes.

Lithuania’s early prompting, which caused worry in the Scotland defence without actually producing clearcut chances, was primarily fuelled by the wing play of Arvydas Novikovas. In utilising the lesser-spotted 4-4-2 formation, for an away fixture Lithuania’s coach, Edgaras Jankauskas, at least showed the willingness for his team to play on the front foot. They were ably assisted by Scotland’s lethargy.

Darren Fletcher’s claiming of a 75th cap was to end in unfortunate circumstances, Scotland’s captain unable to return to the field after the interval because of a thigh strain. He is unlikely to play in Slovakia. Matters almost took an even more wounding turn for Strachan with David Marshall forced into a smart save from Novikovas 60 seconds into the second period.

This was the cue for Scotland to liven up. Robert Snodgrass was denied by a desperate last-ditch block during a concerted spell of home pressure which also roused a hitherto unimpressed Hampden crowd. Martin then headed just wide from a terrific Andy Robertson cross eight minutes into the second half.

This sudden rush of impetus from Scotland was not without its danger. Lithuania had taken advantage of an open Slovenia style when drawing 2-2 in September; Jankauskas’s men had led by two goals at one stage.

They were also to step ahead in Glasgow. Scotland were sliced to pieces by a decent but hardly inspirational move which concluded with Cernych completing a one-two with Vykintas Slivka. The former lashed the ball beyond Marshall.

Strachan turned to Leigh Griffiths, prolific at domestic level with Celtic but routinely overlooked when with Scotland, to save the game. He almost had to do that from a near-impossible position, Cernych volleying wide when through on goal after again eluding the desperately poor Scottish central defence.

Griffiths was afforded a free header from Snodgrass’s cross 12 minutes from time but could only find the grateful hands of Ernestas Setkus. It was another flick of the head, or perhaps the shoulder, which restored parity, James McArthur finishing after Paterson’s long throw was nodded on by Grant Hanley.

Jankauskas spoke of his pride afterwards. This, at least, was legitimate.